Operation: SPECTER
by DementorR
Summary: A shadow from the past has returned, and this time the Kids Next Door will pay for what they did to it. First though two of the Kids Next Door's greatest leaders must be dealt with. 1x362
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. Codename: Kids Next Door is the property of Mr. Warburton, Cartoon Network, Curious Pictures, and anyone else I might have forgotten.

now loading:

kids next door

operation: S.P.E.C.T.E.R 

**S**inister

**P**arty

**E**xpects

**C**ompletely

**T**errifying

**E**normous

**R**evolution

Nigel Uno fell back onto the couch with an unceremonious flop. Silently he let his head drop back and stared up at the ceiling of the tree house. To say he was tired would have been an understatement. Then again he was sure that every other operative in the Kids Next Door felt the same way. After all even candy and soda could only keep someone going nonstop for so long, and the entire KND organization had been mobilized for two days straight already.

The cause for the mass mobilization was simple. Two days ago, Numbuh 362, Supreme Commander of the Kids Next Door, had vanished. It was like she had simply dropped off the face of the Earth. Global Command had no record of her departing the moon base, and no one could remember her saying anything about leaving. Needless to say, it didn't take long for everything to go crazy once her disappearance was made public.

At the moment, Numbuh 86, the Head of Decommissioning and Global Tactical Officer, was acting as Supreme Commander. Not that she had any time to really enjoy the perks. Fanny had personally been leading her D.O.H.-D.O.H. squads in the hunt for Numbuh 362. Even Numbuh 60 had been forced to mobilize the cadets training at the Arctic Base to help in the search. For two days every Kids Next Door operative had taken part in the massive manhunt, and for two days they had found absolutely nothing. Even his own team, which by all accounts was one of the best in the Kids Next Door, had been completely unsuccessful in finding any sign of Numbuh 362.

That's what ate away at him the most. Not just that Numbuh 362 had vanished, but that he hadn't been able to do anything about it. Nigel Uno; Numbuh 1, leader of Kids Next Door Sector V, and son to the greatest Kids Next Door operative of all time; didn't have a clue what had happened to Numbuh 362. Already Sector V had raided Father's mansion six times in search of their commander, and given the chance Numbuh 1 would have ordered another raid. However the voice of reason in the form of one of his truest friends had finally convinced him of the futility of the move. Abigail Lincoln, Numbuh 5 and second-in-command of Sector V, had finally managed to make him see that they had been over every inch of Father's mansion with no sign of Numbuh 362. She also pointed out that while Father had tolerated the intrusions so far, each successive raid had only angered the villain further. It didn't seem too unlikely that if they tried again they might find themselves serious injured at the hands of the flame throwing villain.

So Nigel found himself back in the tree house after his last set of rounds. He was reaching the point of exhaustion, but they couldn't stop looking. No one wanted to believe that Numbuh 362 could really be gone. Every enemy the Kids Next Door could find had been confronted and questioned over the disappearance of the Supreme Commander. Even now the projector that the couch surrounded showed a glowing map of where KND operatives were searching for their leader. He hardly noticed when the rest of his team dragged themselves into the headquarters and took up positions on the couch. In fact he probably would have been content to keep staring at the ceiling, except that Numbuh 4's voice cut through the silence like a rusty knife.

"I still don't see why I had ta go and question that cruddy Toilenator. He ain't smart enough to try and grab Numbuh 362."

Slowly Nigel sat up from his position and looked across the room to the Australian boy. Wallabee Beatles, like everyone else, looked about ready to drop. Even the normally energetic Numbuh 3, Kuki Sanban, seemed dead on her feet. Numbuh 5 though trying to maintain her normally cool and laid back attitude was slouched deeper into the couch than normal. Even Numbuh 2, Hoagie Gilligan, who always had a joke for the group, no matter how bad it might be, seemed ready to simply fall asleep if he stayed in one place for two long. They were reaching their limit fast, and still they didn't have a clue what to do next. Though from Numbuh 4's outburst he already new what their answers would be, Nigel asked the dreaded question anyway. "Any luck?"

Numbuh 5 shook her head slightly as she spoke; "Numbuh 5 spent a good two hours trying to find out anything from her sister. If Cree knows what happened to Numbuh 362, she ain't sayin."

"No luck with Mr. Wink or Mr. Fibb either," replied Numbuh 2. "All they did was sit around and watch TV. Not even anything good either. Just those boring old news talk show things."

"I didn't find Numbuh 362 at the Crazy Old Cat Lady's, but I did find the most huggably soft kitty cat ever. I called him Mr. Whiskerface, and…"

"Enough Numbuh 3." Evidently the young Asian girl wasn't quite as tired as he thought. "All right team. We're all bushed, so lets get some rest. We'll start fresh again in the morning." Slowly Nigel rose from his seat and headed towards the communications equipment. He had only made it a couple of steps before a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned to look at Numbuh 5.

"Numbuh 1 if everyone's supposed to be restin up, then what do you think you're doin."

"I'll get some rest here in a little bit Numbuh 5. First though I've got to contact the moon base and let Numbuh 86 know what our progress is. I don't plan on taking too long. You go on ahead."

"All right, but don't be too hard on yourself Numbuh 1. We'll find Numbuh 362. It'll just take a little more time is all."

Nigel gave his friend a smile as she turned and headed off to her room. The grin quickly vanished though as he resumed his march to the communications console. He wished he could believe that, but the way things were looking now… He just didn't know for sure. It wasn't just that the Supreme Commander of the Kids Next Door had vanished. He could have taken that news. He'd have been upset yes, but he could have still approached all of this with a clear head. It was the fact that it was Rachel that was missing that had hit the hardest. She wasn't just the Supreme Commander or another operative. She was… Well he didn't really know how to classify what she was. Recent events had seemed to push them together more often. The battle with Grandfather and the now infamous game of tag had forced them to interact more than normal. It had led them to whatever it was they had now. Though he still couldn't say if it was a full-fledged friendship or just a deep-rooted respect for one another. Regardless of what it was, it had hurt when he got the news of her disappearance. It had hurt badly. Wearily he opened up a communication line to the moon base, quickly schooling his face into the no nonsense look of determination and professionalism he always wore.

"This is Numbuh 1 of Sector V calling the Kids Next Door Moon Base."

Within seconds the screen was filled with the tired face and frazzled hair of the Kids Next Door's acting commander. Numbuh 86 looked just as tired as he felt. No doubt she probably had not gotten much rest lately either. "This is Kids Next Door Moon Base. We read you Numbuh 1. What do you have to report?"

"I'm afraid our searches have still uncovered no trace of Numbuh 362. My team is getting in a little rest, and then we'll start again fresh. I'm sorry I don't have better news to report ma'am."

Fanny gave a slight nod before reaching towards the cut-off switch. "All right Numbuh 1. Upload your reports into the Kids Next Door Central Computer. Moon base out."

As the line went dead, Nigel couldn't help but gawk slightly at the blackened screen. That conversation had to have been an example of just how tired they all were. Numbuh 86 hadn't raised her voice once, and she had not berated the failure of him or his team. Normally she would have been rubbing the fact that a "stoopid boy" couldn't get the job done in his face. Then again normally her best friend wasn't missing, and normally she wasn't being looked to by every Kids Next Door operative to make the situation all better. He couldn't help but wonder if she would not be as enthusiastic about promotions in the future. Of course he also wondered if the next time someone got promoted if it would be to fill the vacant spot of Supreme Commander.

With another sigh he sent off the reports to join the thousands of others being compiled from all over the planet. The Kids Next Door hadn't given up hope on finding Numbuh 362 yet, but with each passing hour the hopes of doing so seemed to diminish. Slowly he made his way out onto the deck of the tree house. As he stared up into the night sky, he couldn't help but wonder again if Rachel was okay. He had never really known her to be afraid or show any weakness. There had been a time or two when the scared little child had shown through, but for the most part she was always the fearless leader. She'd braved an inhumane amount of broccoli to ensure Father did not remain supreme commander of the Kids Next Door. He had heard she'd even launched herself at the senior citizombified Numbuh 60 in order to buy Numbuhs 2 and 86 time to work despite knowing that she would be hopelessly outnumbered in the struggle. He couldn't help but wonder how her resolve would hold up under this new pressure. He had seen her at her worst a couple of times, and it was not an image he was eager to see again.

"We'll find you Rachel."

As Nigel turned away from the banister and made his way into the tree house, a set of eyes followed his every movement. Behind a mask, a set of lips curved themselves into a malicious smile as the figure that had been so keenly watching Sector V's tree house vanished into the shadows of the night. Part one of the plan had been completed without a hitch. Soon the rest of the puzzle pieces would fall into place, and both the Kids Next Door and the adults would pay the price for their arrogance.

transmission interrupted

Well there you have it, my first foray into actually putting something up for others to read. Hope you enjoyed it. Any comments or criticism are always welcome, so feel free to review.

DementorR 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed. I'm glad you've liked it so far.

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. Codename: Kids Next Door is the property of Mr. Warburton, Cartoon Network, Curious Pictures, and anyone else I might have forgotten.

transmission reestablished

Nigel awoke with a groan, and it didn't take long for his sleep-addled mind to discover something wasn't right. Instead of his bed at the tree house, he awoke on a cold, grimy floor. He blinked a couple of times to try and clear his head, but despite his efforts everything remained dark. The strange situation instantly put his mind on high alert. Something was definitely wrong. Mentally he began reviewing everything that had happened yesterday for some sort of clue to his current predicament. He remembered continuing the hunt for Numbuh 362. He had reported in to the moon base before heading outside. He had done a little stargazing before returning to the tree house and activating the defense system. Then he had entered his room to get some sleep.

Suddenly the pieces snapped back into place. He remembered entering his room, but he had not been alone. He had been confronted by some unknown voice. He'd moved towards the panel just inside his door to activate the intruder alarm, but he'd never got there. He remembered reaching for the panel just before everything went dark. Evidently whoever had been in the tree house had brought him here. Wherever here was. With another groan, he slowly pulled himself up to his feet. He had to figure out what was going on. His search for an answer though was cut short as a timid voice echoed through the dark.

"Are…are you okay over there?"

That question was enough to snap Numbuh 1 into full consciousness. Not because of what was asked, but because of the voice that had asked it. It was a voice that he had come to easily recognize, and one he had been hoping to hear for the last couple of days. "Rachel is that you?"

"Ni…Nigel? Is it really you?"

Quickly he turned towards the sound of her voice, squinting against the darkness to try and find her. "Yeah it's me. Are you all right Rachel?"

It wasn't Rachel that responded though as a new voice echoed out of the darkness. The same voice he remembered from the tree house last night.

"I can assure you Number 1 that the girl has suffered no permanent damage."

Nigel spun trying to locate the direction of this new voice. He wasn't sure which part of the shadows had spoken, but it had sent a chill down his spine. The voice seemed unnaturally cold. It was like every syllable literally dripped with malice and hatred.

"Who are you? Why have you brought us here, and what have you done to Rachel?"

"Nigel. Nigel. Nigel. If I answered all those questions, it would ruin all the surprise and mystery now wouldn't it. Maybe since I'm feeling generous though, I'll give you one answer."

Suddenly the world flashed into existence as two lights in the ceiling turned on. Even through the shade of his sunglasses, the sudden light seemed extremely bright. Nigel shielded his eyes for a moment as he let them adjust to the light. As his vision cleared, he noticed the lights had illuminated two sections of the room. The new view gave him his first look at his temporary dwellings. Surrounded on all sides by thick metal bars, Nigel found himself locked in a cage like some animal in the zoo or circus. Next to his cage sat an identical prison. Except this one held a different occupant. There on the grimy floor sat the Supreme Commander of the Kids Next Door.

He felt his blood boil as he looked upon the form of Numbuh 362. Though she seemed mostly unharmed, he could still make out the various cuts on her uniform and the bruises on her exposed arms. She looked diminished in the cage, like she didn't have any fight left in her. She sat silently with her knees pulled up to her chest. Nigel could see the streaks along her cheeks no doubt caused by tears. It was another moment before he had to look away from the site. He had to keep his emotions in check. Flying off the handle wouldn't help either of them right now. Even though he really wanted to find the figure that had been speaking, and make it pay for what it had done to Numbuh 362.

"I hope you are satisfied that I was telling the truth."

Nigel focused his attention on the Voice again. He needed more information. If he could find where the Voice was coming from and who was behind it, then maybe he could start thinking up a way to get him and Rachel out of here. Hoping for the best, he turned himself in the direction he believed the Voice to be coming from and spoke. "Not really. I won't be satisfied until I know who you are. Then I'm going to kick your butt for hurting one of my friends."

Laughter filled the air after that declaration, and Nigel couldn't help but notice that the laughter sounded almost as evil as the Voice itself. He also noticed Rachel shrink back in her cage slightly. He wasn't sure what they had done to her, but evidently it had been enough that she was far from comfortable with the Voice. After a moment, the laughter died down and the Voice spoke once more. This time however Nigel could detect a bit of amusement from his mysterious captor.

"I never knew you had such a sense of humor Number 1. Let me assure you that even with the help of your little friend there that you wouldn't stand a chance against me. Though maybe one day I'll let you try just to see how good you are."

Defiantly Nigel crossed his arms over his chest, a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth. "You know you sure talk big for someone who has to hide in the darkness."

"And you're overconfident for someone in a cage. I'll give you credit on a nice try though Number 1. I might have taken the bait at one time. You'll just have to wait to see who I am though. Besides I've got bigger plans for you two. "

"Like what?"

"Oh don't worry Number 1. You'll find out soon enough. Let's just say that the Kids Next Door won't know what hit them."

With a final chuckle, the area was plunged into darkness again as the lights turned off. Nigel listened for the sound of retreating footsteps, but the room remained deathly quiet. After a moment, he concluded that if the figure had left it did so as quietly as it had arrived. Satisfied that they were most likely alone, Nigel turned back towards the last location of his Supreme Commander. At least she had seemed mostly unharmed even if the fear and terror had been plain on her face. As he walked towards the bars, he spoke to her. He was surprised that the fight had fled his voice and left it much softer and full of concern.

"Rachel are you all right?"

"I…I don't know Nigel. I mean what kind of supreme leader am I if I got caught so easily. I don't even know how long I've been here. Maybe I shouldn't have taken the job back."

"Don't say that. I've told you before that you're a great leader, and I'm not the only one that thinks so. If you don't believe me, then just remember that for the past two days eleventy-hundred Kids Next Door operatives have been turning this planet upside down looking for you. I don't think Numbuh 86 or Numbuh 60 have slept more than a couple of hours over the past two days. And I think I've probably slept even less."

The last sentence was barely above a whisper, but it was enough for Numbuh 362 to hear. The Supreme Commander slowly looked up from her place on the floor towards the voice of Sector V's leader. It seemed almost surreal to hear him talking like that. Sure she had seen the reports that came from Sector V, so she was aware of how much Nigel's friends meant to him, and the lengths he would go through to protect them. She just never expected such compassion to be directed towards her. She wasn't sure she could really be considered one of his friends. Though looking back over some of their recent encounters maybe she should have.

"You were really that worried about me Nigel?"

"We were all worried Rachel, but yeah I was pretty worried myself. We've grown…I dunno…closer over the past few months Rachel. You're probably one of my best friends outside of my own team. When I heard you had vanished, well it scared me. I didn't want anything bad to happen to you."

"Thanks Nigel that really means a lot. I'm just sorry that I got you into this mess."

"That's not your fault. I think this was the plan from the start. My abduction was too planned out. They somehow got through the security system at the tree house, and got into my room before I got in. There's no time to worry about that now though. We have to get out of here. Maybe I can squeeze..."

"Nigel! Don't…"

She was never able to complete her warning though. As Numbuh 1 grabbed the bars of his small cell, pain exploded through his body. It felt as though his insides were on fire as bolts of electricity coursed from the bars. With an agonized yelp, he fell away from the bars and curled into a ball on the floor. He whimpered slightly as he cradled his injured hands in his lap. He heard Rachel ask about him, but right now he was too focused on the sensitive flesh of his hands to respond. It seemed that escape wasn't going to be as easy. After another worried plea from Rachel, he slowly sat back up willing the pain away from his hands. He had to be strong right now.

"Don't worry about me Rachel. I'll be all right. Looks like it might be a little harder to get out of here than I thought."

"Oh what's the use Nigel? I've been studying this place for two days, and there's no way outta here. I don't even know where here is. Today was the first time they even had the lights on since I got here. We can't even touch the bars without getting zapped. It's hopeless."

He could hear the defeat in her voice. Their captors seemed to have done a good job of trying to break her spirit. Well as far as Nigel Uno was concerned that was just one more reason to kick their butts. They might have gotten a hold of him, but they had made a big mistake. They had locked both he and Rachel together. While she might not have been able to get away on her own, the two of them could surely find a way out of this mess. He just had to remain strong and bring out that old Numbuh 362 in her. Together they could overcome this.

"Don't worry Rachel we'll get out of here. We just have to work together."

transmission interrupted

A/N: Well there we have it. I don't know that I'm completely pleased with it, but then again I have a tendency to be overly critical of myself. Hope you all enjoyed, and as always feel free to review, criticize, and offer ideas.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers. Even though I wasn't completely happy with the last chapter, seems like everyone else enjoyed it. Special thanks to **Lord Malachite** for bouncing some ideas around with me. It's given me some good stuff to work with.

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. Codename: Kids Next Door is the property of Mr. Warburton, Cartoon Network, Curious Pictures, and anyone else I might have forgotten.

connection reestablished

Silently a figure watched as the two captives spoke to one another. Though the image was not the best due to the darkness, the camera seemed to be catching everything just fine. There was no sound from the screen, but that wasn't a problem. He could easily listen to what they were saying later on. No right now he wanted to see how they were reacting to one another. It was a risk putting them in the same room, but it was a calculated risk. His goal would only succeed if the two of them were close to one another. He needed their bonds to be strong.

On top of that though, he would need to remain strong. Breaking Nigel Uno would not be an easy task. The leader of Sector V had shown uncanny willpower in the past, but he was not invincible. Given enough time and effort, even the fortress walls around Nigel Uno's spirit could be shattered. Time would not be on his side though. Even now he was sure that the rest of Nigel's team would have discovered his disappearance. He had no doubt the members of Sector V would prove themselves to be formidable foes. They may have been searching hard since he grabbed Number 362, but he had no illusions about what would happen once they found their own leader missing.

He had planned for them though. Soon Sector V and the rest of the Kids Next Door would find themselves too busy to worry much about a couple of missing operatives. With a grin, he silently shut off the picture on the monitor and turned to another part of the computer system before him. Silently his fingers flew over the keys for a moment until a new message appeared on the screen. Two simple words. "Message transmitted."

Soon he would be able to rest easy knowing that the Kids Next Door would be too preoccupied to interfere with his plans. With the two most dangerous pieces out of the game, it was time to turn the pawns against each other. Soon the Kids Next Door would find themselves at the mercy of the greatest foes. Given time they might see through the distraction, but by then it would be too late. Besides if the pawns fell in their movements, well that wasn't really his problem anyway.

Across town in a mansion, another figure sat listening to a recording. It claimed to be from a friend, and while the figure highly doubted that fact he was still intrigued. Silently he brought his clasped hands together in front of his face as the recording started.

"I bid you greetings most honored Father. While you do not know me, let me assure you that I am a great fan of yours. I have eagerly watched as you have worked your magic on the world to ensure that unruly children are put in their place. It is due to this mutual goal that I have decided to contact you. I have recently stumbled upon some information that I believe you may find quite interesting. I know that in the past you have had trouble with the clandestine organization of children known as the Kids Next Door. No doubt the very mention of this group is enough to make you ready to destroy this message, but I ask that you please hold your wrath until you hear the rest."

Father had to give this "friend of his" credit. He had done his homework when it came to the greatest villain of them all. It was true that at the mere mention of the Kids Next Door the villain had found his hands clenching into fists and the flames of his anger begging for release. Slowly he unclenched his fists and let the glare slide from his yellow eyes as the voice continued to speak.

"Thank you for allowing me to continue. I mention the Kids Next Door, because the time is perfect for you to destroy this wretched organization once and for all. It has been brought to my attention that two of the Kids Next Door's most important operatives have gone missing. You are no doubt familiar with Number 1 of Sector V and the Supreme Leader, Number 362. The disappearance of these two important figures will leave the Kids Next Door ripe for destruction. For several days now the operatives of the Kids Next Door have been running themselves ragged trying to find their wayward leaders. The children are tired Father and lack the powerful command structure they have had in the past. With one move you could wipe them all out. I bring you this knowledge in the hopes you will put it to good use, and that your genius will finally be rewarded."

As the voice died away, Father reached over and shut off the recording. He sat for a couple of moments longer contemplating all that he had just heard. He thought of the age-old wisdom that if something seemed too good to be true then it usually was, but he knew at least part of the message was true. The Supreme Leader of the Kids Next Door was missing. His nephew had burst into the mansion half a dozen times trying to find their wayward leader. Could it be that the same force behind the disappearance of that wretched blonde girl that had assaulted him with broccoli had somehow managed to trap his infuriating nephew?

If the entire message was true, then his "friend" would be correct in claiming now was the perfect time to launch an attack against the Kids Next Door. Even overwhelming numbers wouldn't be able to save them if they were all ready to collapse from exhaustion. He had to find out what was happening for himself. Then he could make a determination on what to do.

"Come here my delightful children."

A moment passed before Father looked up at the still closed doors of his office. Slowly his eyes narrowed as he watched the doorknob. What was keeping those blasted children of his.

"I said come here my delightful children, and I meant…NOW!" The last word was accompanied by a forceful scream and a flare of fire from Father's dark body. Within seconds the door had opened to allow his five perfectly well behaved children entrance into the office. The group timidly moved into the office together. Fear shown on the four faces that could be seen as they awaited punishment for their tardiness.

"We're sorry Father. We were finishing brushing our teeth."

At the pronouncement, Father sat back in his chair and rubbed his chin slightly. "Well good oral hygiene is important… That's not important right now. I have a job for you my delightful children. I want you to get in touch with one of our spies and see what is going on with the Kids Next Door."

"But Father it's almost our bedtime. Why do you want to worry about those brats right now?"

"Silence!"

Again the delightfulized members of Sector Z cringed as flames erupted from around Father. While it was true that he would probably never actually hurt his "children," there were times it seemed as though he might conveniently forget that particular fact.

"I have reason to believe that there is something going on with the Kids Next Door that could lead to their destruction. I want our own forces to verify this data for me before I commit to any plan of action. Now do what I said and then get to bed before I get really angry."

"Yes Father."

As the children departed, Father sat back and rubbed his hands together. He had been presented with a golden opportunity. If everything panned out, then there would soon be no one to stop him from making the lives of children everywhere miserable.

transmission interrupted

A/N: Well there we have the next installment. I agonized over writing this chapter (at least 6 rewrites) and I'm still not sure I'm entirely happy with it. I apologize for the lack of action from Numbers 1 and 362, but there are other pieces of the puzzle that must be shown. Expect Nigel and Rachel to return next chapter as well as the reaction form the rest of Sector V at their leader's disappearance. Until then as always feel free to read, review, criticize, or whatever else.

DementorR


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: As always thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers. Especially those of you who have taken the time to write a review for each chapter. And now on with the show.

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. Codename: Kids Next Door is the property of Mr. Warburton, Cartoon Network, Curious Pictures, and anyone else I might have forgotten.

connection

reestablished

The tree house that operated as the headquarters for Sector V swarmed with activity. Numerous Kids Next Door transports landed and lifted off from the area surrounding the Uno household. Armed Kids Next Door infantry moved around the house in small groups while other operatives worked to set up a perimeter around the house.

For all the activity though, it seemed that no one was very eager to actually approach the tree house until the arrival of a black S.C.A.M.P.E.R. that entered the main hangar of the tree house. As the craft touched down, the remaining members of Sector V slowly approached the vehicle. They were joined by one of the operatives from outside as the came to a stop near the vehicle's hatch. Silently the group stood as the hatch opened, allowing two operatives to depart. First out the door was Numbuh 60, Patton Drilovsky. Numbuh 60 had found himself less and less at the Artic Base since the situation had started. After the deployment of the current class of cadets to help look for Numbuh 362, Patton had little reason to remain at the training base. Instead much of his time had been spent on the Moon Base helping Numbuh 86 coordinate the search for the Supreme Leader. The other operative was Numbuh 99, a member of Numbuh 86's decommissioning squad. It was rumored he was the front-runner to become the next Head of Decommissioning when Numbuh 86 decided to step aside. Both operatives exited the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. with M.U.S.K.E.T.s held firmly in their hands. As they stepped away from the vehicle, the operative from outside stepped forward and snapped a salute to the Drill Instructor.

Numbuh 60 returned the salute as he spoke, "Status report soldier."

"Our operatives have created a perimeter as ordered sir."

"Good job soldier. I don't want anyone entering or leaving this tree house unless I clear them. Now carry on."

As the boy left to return to his duties, both Numbuhs 60 and 99 approached the members of Sector V. It was evident from their faces that something was wrong, and though Patton hadn't got the full briefing from Numbuh 86 before he left the moon base he had a sinking feeling what it was. Numbuhs 2 and 5 looked worried and frazzled. The ever-jovial Numbuh 3 looked like she was on the verge of tears, despite the efforts of Numbuh 4 to reassure her it was all right. Out of all the faces assembled before her though, there was one noticeable absence. Nigel Uno was not with his team, and Patton had a bad idea of what that probably meant.

"Situation report Numbuh 5."

"No change from what Numbuh 5 reported earlier. Numbuh 1 ain't anywhere in the tree house. Numbuh 1 didn't come down to breakfast, and when Numbuh 5 went to check on him he wasn't in his room. We done a complete search of the tree house with no sign of him."

"Your security and defense systems?"

"They were up all night," replied Numbuh 2. "Numbuh 1 turned them on right before he went to bed, and they were still active when we got up. I've been over the surveillance footage, and there's no sign of what happened. It's just like Numbuh 1 vanished."

"Just like Numbuh 362. I'm sorry guys. I know this can't be easy."

"Yeah…yeah…yeah. Save the sentimental stuff and just tell us how many operatives we'll get to help look for Numbuh 1."

Patton looked over towards Numbuh 4 and frowned. The boy wasn't going to like the answer. In fact he was sure none of them would. "I'm afraid that we can only spare a couple of operatives. Numbuhs 35mm and 8mm will look over the footage from your defense system. They're the best surveillance operatives we have. Numbuh 43 will take on the role of trying to track down Numbuh 1."

"Only three operatives!"

"I'm sorry Numbuh 4, but Numbuh 86's orders are clear. Finding Numbuh 362 is our top priority, and I'm afraid that we can't lose any more operatives in that search. Including you guys."

"You mean?"

"That's right Numbuh 5. You are officially ordered to forget about searching for Numbuh 1 right now, and to focus your efforts on finding Numbuh 362."

"Are you crazy? You expect us to just forget about finding Numbuh 1?"

"That's not what I expect Abigail. I'm ordering you to continue with the search for Numbuh 362. Numbuh 43 will take over looking for Numbuh 1. Who knows maybe when we find Numbuh 362 we'll find Numbuh 1. For now you are in command of Sector V. I wish there was more we could do guys, but I'm afraid orders are orders. Good luck Sector V."

With one last shake of his head, Patton turned and reentered the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. followed by Numbuh 99. As the craft lifted off the members of Sector V stood in stunned silence for a couple of minutes.

"So that's it," screamed Numbuh 4. "They just want us to pretend like Numbuh 1 isn't gone?"

"They don't really expect us not to go looking for Numbuh 1? Do they Numbuh 5," questioned Numbuh 2.

"Numbuh 5 doesn't know what they expect, but Numbuh 5 knows she ain't givin' up on Numbuh 1. Numbuh 5 has made the mistake of not being there once before, and she ain't gonna let that happen again."

"But Numbuh 60 said…"

"Numbuh 60 said that maybe when we find Numbuh 362 we'll find Numbuh 1. If that's the case, then maybe when we find Numbuh 1 we'll find Numbuh 362. Either way we won't find anyone just standing around here, so lets get to work. Kids Next Door. Battle stations!"

The next time the lights in the tiny jail came on, Nigel wasn't surprised to find only he and Rachel's cages illuminated. Nor was he surprised when he heard a voice begin speaking from the shadows.

"I hope you both are enjoying your little vacation."

Nigel slowly looked up from his place on the floor. Both he and Rachel had taken to simply sitting and talking to pass their time in the dark. They needed to conserve their energy after all. How else could they expect to escape? Nigel scanned the shadows for a moment, but as always he was unable to pinpoint the exact location of the voice. Sighing he sat back a little and turned towards what he believed to be the general direction of their captor.

"If this is the best you can do, then your interrogation tactics need a lot of work. I mean you've barely questioned us since I got here. Are you simply trying to waste time until my team comes to rescue us?"

"I am truly sorry if I have not been the captor you were hoping for Number 1. I guess I'll just have to work on making your life much more miserable. Oh and I wouldn't worry about your teammates. The Kids Next Door won't have time to look for you before long."

At that statement, Rachel perked up from her slumped position on the floor. "What are you talking about?"

"Well it's just that I doubt they'll have much time to bother with you when they are trying to save themselves."

"Save themselves?"

"Well by now I'm sure Father has learned of the weakened state of the Kids Next Door, and well really when could there be a better time to strike."

"No." The word was a mere whisper from the Supreme Leader, but it was enough to convey her feelings clearly. As it left her mouth, she slumped back into her former position.

Though it ended quickly, Nigel was glad to see Rachel's reaction. There had been a spark of the old Supreme Leader in her actions and voice. Even if it had only been for a moment, it was enough to give Nigel hope. He had been growing increasingly concerned about Rachel as they sat and talked. It seemed the fight had been driven out of her, but for that brief instant when she learned her organization was in trouble it had returned. If only it had returned under better circumstances. The news that someone like Father could be taking advantage of the current situation was not a happy one, but it wasn't necessarily a final blow.

Nigel slowly stood, crossing his arms over his chest. "Even if you have alerted our enemies. The Kids Next Door are more than a match for them."

Once again the figure's ominous laughter rang through the small prison. "That may have been true at one time Number 1, but not now. With the two key leaders of the Kids Next Door as my guests, there will be little your friends can do to hold the organization together. Number 86 is not the leader that the two of you are. She'll not be able to lead the Kids Next Door to victory."

"Why are you doing this? What has the Kids Next Door ever done to you?"

"I'm afraid now is not the time to talk about that Nigel. After all I'm supposed to be doing a better job of torturing you. So I believe it is time for another session with your Supreme Leader."

Nigel paled slightly as the room was once again plunged into darkness. He heard the sound of the heavy cell door opening. Moments later the sounds of Rachel pleading for mercy and begging for it to stop filled the room. Nigel yelled at their captor to leave her alone. Offered to allow himself to be tortured in her place, but ultimately their tormentor remained quiet. He never said a word or made a sound as he terrorized the leader of the Kids Next Door. Nigel eventually gave up trying to get his attention and sunk to the floor of his cell. There was little he could do but sit and listen to the agony Rachel was going through. He didn't know how long it was before her cries died down to sobs, and the heavy door swung open and closed again.

Nigel spent the next half an hour trying to comfort Rachel and learn exactly what had happened to her. It didn't come as a big surprise when Rachel did not want to talk though. Instead all he could do was try to reassure her they would be all right while he listened to her sob in the next cell. Eventually the sobs diminished and were replaced by the sounds of restless sleep. As he wished for Rachel to have sweet dreams, Nigel couldn't help but let one thought run through his mind. It was his fault. He had overstepped his bounds, and their captor had showed him the price for his defiance. Tortured by guilt, Nigel could do nothing but try to sleep, and vow that their captor would pay for what he had done.

transmission

interrupted

A/N: Another tough chapter to get out, but there it is. I apologize for the delay in updating, but life's been a little hectic lately. I've by no means decided to abandon this story, but updates might be a bit sporadic for the foreseeable future. Know that the next chapter is pretty well thought out, and hopefully can be typed up and posted soon. Until then as always feel free to read, review, criticize, or whatever else.

DementorR


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: As always thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers.

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. Codename: Kids Next Door is the property of Mr. Warburton, Cartoon Network, Curious Pictures, and anyone else I might have forgotten.

connection reestablished

The next time Nigel awoke things had drastically changed. Instead of lying on the cold, dingy floor, he found himself hoisted upright and secured between two poles by chains attached to his wrists. The main thing he noticed though was that it was bright. The light was almost blinding. He had grown so accustomed to the dark or the low light levels of the prison, that now the full effects of the sun were almost too much to handle. Hesitantly he tried to pull on his bonds, but as expected they held tight.

"Well it's so good of you to finally wake up and join us."

"Father. I should have known." Slowly Nigel raised his head to stare into the two yellow eyes of his most sinister opponent. Despite the fact that Benedict Uno, the man behind the silhouette suit, was his uncle, there was no family affection between the two. Father and his delightful children had terrorized Nigel and his friends for too long. His nefarious plans had run the entire spectrum from changing Nigel and his friends into animals to trying to bake them into a giant birthday cake. He may have been family, but there could be no forgiveness.

"What have you done with Rachel?"

"Oh don't worry Number 1. Your little friend is among the guests for this historic moment."

"Historic moment?" Nigel knew there was something about the way Father said that. He wasn't sure what the man was up to, but he knew he needed to get away before it was too late. He needed to find Rachel too, and get her out of here.

"Why yes Nigel. You see today is the day you will forsake those bratty Kids Next Door, and take your rightful place as a member of the Uno family."

"What are you talking about?"

Nigel could see the amusement light up in Father's eyes. "Why your heritage of course nephew. It's time you took your rightful place in the pantheon of villains. The Uno family has always been evil until you and your goody two-shoes of a dad broke with tradition. Now its time we rectify that problem though, and bring the next generation of Unos back to the family business."

"If you think I'm going to join you, you have got to be kidding. There's nothing you can do to make me betray my friends."

"Oh really?" Suddenly Father stopped and stroked his chin lightly. "You know I think you're right Number 1. There isn't anything that I can do to make you betray them."

"What?" Nigel's sunglasses slipped slightly as he stared at Father in utter disbelief. It couldn't have been that easy. Father wouldn't just give up like that and let him go. Would he?

"But then again I won't have to do anything. You will turn against them of your own free will."

Nigel simply stared at Father as though he had grown a second head. Was he kidding? He couldn't honestly believe that Nigel would just turn on his friends like that. He had a hard time believing anyone in the world could be that naive. Slowly Nigel stared at his captor over the top of his sunglasses, one eyebrow arching towards his forehead.

"You've got to be kidding, right?"

"Of course not. Evil runs in the very blood of the Uno family. The darkness within you only needs some coaxing for it to take control, and then you will turn on your friends all by yourself. You'll be the perfect weapon against the Kids Next Door. A weapon with all the knowledge of the Kids Next Door intact."

Nigel cringed as Father broke into a bout of sinister laughter. The thought of his knowledge being turned against his team was sickening. He had shown in the past that he could be a match for his team on his own, but that had only been when he was trying to disable them. What he could be capable of when he was trying to destroy them with powers similar to Father or Grandfather was a terrifying idea.

"But now enough goofing off. It's time to start heating things up."

The words had barely left Father's mouth before he blasted Nigel with a full burst of his power. Nigel couldn't help but scream in pain as the flames enveloped his body. He could feel the heat surround him, and begin permeating his body. His very blood felt like it was boiling as it coursed through his veins. He didn't know for sure how long it lasted before the attack stopped. As the searing heat vanished from around him, Nigel crumbled towards the ground only to be held up by his restraints. He moaned in pain as fine wisps of smoke slowly rose from his body. Even though the attack had stopped he could still feel the heat. It burned at the very core of his body almost like a fire that was smoldering within him. Weakly he raised his gaze back to Father.

"What…what did you do to me?"

"I only started you on your road nephew. The fire is lit. Now we just have to get it to burn."

"I won't j…join you."

"Still trying to resist. Another annoying trait you picked up from my brother. Well I think you'll find yourself more willing when a friend of yours is in danger. Bring her in."

The sound of an opening door and swishing cloth captured Nigel's attention as he tried to get back to his feet. He turned his head slightly to try and locate the source of the noise. The source sent a chill through his body though as one of Father's Knightamatons entered the room holding a squirming Numbuh 362.

"R…Rachel?"

Rachel tried to speak through the gag in her mouth, but Nigel couldn't make out the words. As the mechanical knight came to a stop, Nigel turned his attention back to Father. The anger and defiance burned in his eyes once again despite the pain in his body.

"Let her go. She has nothing to do with this. If it's me you want fine, but leave her out of this."

"Oh really Number 1 you don't give your Supreme Commander nearly enough credit. She is an integral part of my plans. I need her for THIS!"

In an instant, flames shot from Father's hands and engulfed Rachel and her mechanical guard. Even through the gag Nigel could hear her begin to scream in pain. He pulled on his bonds trying in vain to free himself.

"Stop it! Don't hurt her."

"Not till its over nephew. If you want it to end, you'll have to stop it. And I'd hurry; I'm not sure how much she'll be able to take."

Nigel continued to pull at the bonds as Rachel's muffled screams rung in his ears. The screams were soon joined by the sickening laughter of Father as he continued to pour power into his attack. As Nigel fought to get free, he felt the power stir within him. The smoldering fire began to spread and burn again. His felt the heat entering his cells and coursing through his blood. He growled, as he looked at Father, his eyes flashing yellow. His voice strained as he spoke, and the shadows around the area twisted and warped towards Nigel's suspended form.

"I told you to let…her…GO!"

Father yelped as a blast of energy caught him in the chest and sent him flying backwards. As he pulled himself off of the ground, he looked towards the form that rose from where his nephew stood. The form was still Nigel's, but it was cloaked in the darkness of a silhouette suit. Father laughed as he dusted himself off slightly.

"Excellent. You've found the power within you. Now we can…"

Father never got a chance to finish as another blast of energy slammed into him. He staggered back to his feet as he stared into the glowing red eyes of his nephew. "You'll pay for hurting her. You wanted the darkness Uncle Benedict? Well you've gotten it. I'll destroy you for what you did."

"I think you are forgetting who you're dealing with Number 1. I created you. I can destroy you just as easily." With a yell Father launched a blast of his powers straight at Numbuh 1's head only to have the energy absorbed into his nephew's hands.

"Grandfather was right you are a disgrace."

Father couldn't help but watch as the flames rose up around his nephew. He let out a cry as Nigel loomed over him. The last thing he heard before the world went black was the sound of his nephew laughing, and a voice that sounded strangely liking his own father congratulating the newest member of the legacy.

With a scream, Nigel jolted from his place on the floor. His mind whirled with everything he had experienced. Father, his power, Rachel's…he couldn't even think about it. He tried to get his breathing under control as he heard of voice off in the darkness.

"Nigel? Nigel are you okay?"

Rachel? But that wasn't possible he had seen Father destroy her with his own eyes. "Rachel is that you?"

"Who else would it be?"

"But…but what happened to Father?"

"Father? What are you talking about Nigel?"

"Father. He's the one that captured us, and he…well…"

"It's okay Nigel. It must have been a bad dream. Your mind starts playing tricks on you after a little while. Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No. No it's okay Rachel. Like you said it was a dream. I guess the sooner we get out of here the better off we'll be."

"Yeah. If we can get out."

"We'll get out Rachel. I promise." Even as he said the words though, Nigel couldn't force himself to believe them. If everything had been a dream, why did he still have a bad feeling about it.

transmission interrupted

A/N: Well after a short hiatus, I have returned with the next installment. This one turned out to be a lot harder to get out than I expected. I guess too many different thoughts bouncing around in my head at the moment. Any way trust me when I say all of this will make sense in the future. If you can guess what's going on then you win a cookie, but I will say that not all things are as they appear. For the next chapter we'll be stepping away from Nigel and Rachel again to follow the exploits of the rest of Sector V. Until then, as always feel free to read, review, criticize, or whatever.

DementorR


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Dearest readers. I do apologize for the extremely long delay in finally updating this story. Lately my life had quite a few curve balls thrown that I simply did not anticipate, and they simply did not leave me time to write very much. I'm happy to say that I have not abandoned my story, and I am finally getting a little more time to write, so here is the next chapter. Future chapters may be a little slow in coming as well, but I will do my best to get them out quicker than this. As always thank you to all of you who leave such kind words and comments. They more than anything else have given me the resolve to keep going on with this story. And now without further ado, on to the standard disclaimer and the next chapter of Operation S.P.E.C.T.E.R

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. Codename: Kids Next Door is the property of Mr. Warburton, Cartoon Network, Curious Pictures, and anyone else I might have forgotten.

connection reestablished

Everything was quiet at the Uno household. In fact if you didn't know it, you would never have guessed that just hours earlier the house had been swarming with KND agents. The truth was the residents in the house had no idea anything had occurred, as was evident by the fact that Monty Uno was calmly sitting down in his favorite chair to read the paper.

As always though the silence was short lived. Just as he was about to begin reading a delightful article on father/son activities, the front door of the house exploded inward. Shouts and smoke quickly filled the living room as four armored beings broke into the house. Monty could only watch in bewilderment as the forms swept through the living room before stopping around his chair. Each one pointed a weapon directly at his head. Monty stared at his captors for a moment before smiling widely.

"Good morning kids. Crackerjack day isn't it?"

The four captors looked at their prisoner for a moment before slowly lowering their weapons. The one directly in front of Mr. Uno silently slid her mask over her red baseball cap. Letting the covering fall to the floor, she brought her hand up and rubbed the back of her neck slightly. "Um morning Mr. Uno. We was wonderin' if Numbuh 1 could come out and play?"

"Nigel? Fraid the old bean isn't here right now kids."

"You don't happen to know where he is do you?" Numbuh 2 asked as he pushed his own helmet up on top of his head.

"He left a note saying his was going to spend the weekend with his Uncle Benedict, and do a bit of camping. I say it sounded like a crackerjack time. Wish they would have invited me, but I was just reading a wonderful article in the paper the other day about how important it is for boys to spend time with male members of the family outside of their fathers. Frankly Benny's been a bit distant for years anyway. Maybe spending some time with Nigel will help him reconnect with the family."

"You let Numbuh 1 go there all by himself. Are you nuts!?"

"Stow it Numbuh 4. We gotta go save Numbah 1. Kids Next Door. Battle stations!"

Grabbing her helmet, Numbuh 5 followed the rest of her team back out of the house. Monty Uno watched as the kids shot back out of the house as quickly as they appeared. He looked at the remains of what used to be his door before bringing his paper back up before his eyes. "Don't know what they're getting so worked up about. Fresh air. Male bonding. Sounds like a crackerjack time to me."

Outside Father's mansion

The members of Sector V silently dropped over the fence that surrounded Father's mansion. It was surprising that the super villain still had not upgraded his security after the rash of intrusions he had suffered lately, but perhaps he didn't want to draw too much attention to his home being the headquarters of the world's greatest evil.

"I still don't get why we're here. If Numbuh 1 was goin' camping, why would he be at Father's mansion?"

Numbuh 5 could only shake her head before whapping Wally on the back of the head. "What's wrong with you? You really think Father'd take Numbuh 1 campin'?"

"Yeah Numbuh 4 that was obviously some lie Father cooked up to make sure Numbuh 1's parents didn't worry about him being gone," added Numbuh 2.

"Yeah besides there's no room left for Numbuh 1 to camp out here anyway silly."

Numbuh 5 turned and looked at the other member of their team a look of confusion crossing her hidden face. "Numbuh 3 what are you talkin' about?"

"Look." Numbuh 3 pointed through the clump of bushes they were currently tucked behind into the vast expanse of Father's backyard. What normally was a large empty space though was crammed full of tents, vehicles, and enough villains to make the kids' blood run cold.

"What in the world is goin' on?" Numbuh 5 hadn't seen a gathering of villains like this since Father's massive attack against the KND museum and the moonbase. The very though chilled her though. Could the villains be planning another all out attack against the KND? If they were, could the KND defend against or overcome an attack of that magnitude. "We gotta get outta here and warn the Moonbase."

"What are you talkin' about Numbuh 5? We gotta try and find Numbuh 1."

"Numbuh 4 are you payin' attention to what's goin' on down there? Look at all those villains. We gotta warn the Kids Next Door before Father tries to launch some kind of attack."

"Um guys I think we got bigger problems," Numbuh 2 stuttered as he took a step back.

"What could be worse than every villain decidin' to attack us right now?"

"That," Numbuh 2 pointed behind his arguing team members to the other side of the bushes where a giant shadow now loomed before them. Numbuhs 4 and 5 took a step backward as the giant chair took a step forward smashing the bushes into the ground.

"Well…well…well what do we have here Mr. Wink?"

"It appears to be those meddlesome Kids Next Door Mr. Fibb."

"Indeed it does. What do you think we should do with them Mr. Wink?"

"Since they have discovered our plans, I think we have little choice but to destroy them Mr. Fibb."

"My thoughts exactly Mr. Wink."

Numbuh 5 barely had time to yell for the team to scatter before another of the chair's great legs came smashing down on the patch of ground they had recently occupied. "We ain't got time to fight them. Split up and try to get back to the tree house. Whoever gets there first, warn the moonbase."

transmission interrupted

A/N: Well there we are. Sorry if the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. Next chapter will switch back to check up on Nigel and Rachel, and depending on how long it ends up being we might find out what happens to the rest of Sector V at the end. If not they'll start out the Chapter 8. As always reviews, critiques, and whatever else is appreciated. Hopefully the next chapter will be out sooner rather than later.

DementorR


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. Codename: Kids Next Door is the property of Mr. Warburton, Cartoon Network, Curious Pictures, and anyone else I might have forgotten.

transmission reestablished

Nigel stared in disbelief as he stepped past the rubble and ash that littered the ground. It simply couldn't be. It wasn't possible. Where there had once been a beautiful house and a majestic tree house now stood nothing. All that remained of his sector headquarters and more importantly his home was a large patch of scorched earth and a few pieces of burning rubble. "How could this happen," he mumbled softly to no one in particular.

"Don't act like you don't know"

Nigel spun at the voice, "Numbuh Fi…" The name died on his lips as he came face to face with not his teammate, but the barrel of a weapon.

"You don't got no right to call me that anymore. Traitor," Numbuh Five spit venomously as she tightened her finger on the trigger. "Not after what you did."

"Abby I don't know what you're talking about," Nigel pleaded as he slowly raised his hands. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he didn't plan on giving Numbuh 5 any reason to shoot.

"Oh you don't know what I'm talkin' about. I suppose it was someone else that led the attack against us. I suppose it was someone else who deactivated the defense systems and let all those ice cream men into the tree house. It had to have been someone else that handed the others over to be delightfulized like it was nothing, and then when you was done you destroyed everything that was left. But wait that wasn't you, it had to have been someone else." By the end of her tirade, Numbuh 5 was nearly screaming at him and gesturing wildly with her weapon.

Each accusation tore into Nigel like a red hot poker. It couldn't be possible. He would never turn on his team…on his friends. But at the back of his mind he could feel it, that angry burning hatred he had fought to control ever since he had learned of its existence. Could it be he really had done this? "No! It's not possible. Look Abby I don't know what's going on, but if we work together we can…"

"We can what!" The scream was accompanied by the barrel of her weapon pressing against his chest. "We can try to solve this until Numbuh 5 let's her guard down and ends up like the others. I don't think so. You won't be betraying anyone again."

Nigel watched the world slow down as her finger tightened on the trigger. He was a little disappointed that his life didn't flash before his eyes like the movies always said. It would have been nice to see his friends' faces again in happier times. Even as he resigned himself to his fate, he could feel the hatred crying for release. "Let us out," it hissed, "and we can save you." Nigel was tempted, but the thought of what he could have already done steeled his resolve, "No this is for the best."

With a flash of light, Nigel Uno's world was plunged into darkness.

"Nigel! Nigel are you okay?"

"Wha…Who…Rachel?" Nigel's brain tried to wrap itself around what was going on. His head was killing him, and it was still pitch dark. Slowly he pushed himself back into a sitting position, his hands coming into contact with the cold concrete floor.

"You were screaming in your sleep again. Another nightmare?"

"Yeah let's call it a nightmare."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Nigel could hear the worry in her voice, but a part of him couldn't help but fear what her reaction might be if he told her. Would she be supportive? Could she possibly understand what was going on in his mind? Would she turn away from him? He could still see Numbuh Five's face in his mind, the pain of his apparent betrayal on her features. He didn't know if he could stand to see the same look on Rachel's face. "Rachel…I…"

"I've been having them too, but I guess you've probably noticed," her voice was barely above a whisper but Nigel could hear her strain to put just a little bit of humor into her words. There was nothing to laugh about, but he knew it was an attempt to break the tension.

"Well, it is kinda obvious."

"It's almost the same every time. I watch as everything around me falls apart. The moonbase. The Kids Next Door. My friends like Fanny and Patton. All of them are gone, and there isn't anything that I can do to help them. I can only stand aside and watch as it happens. It's worse than when Father became Supreme Leader. At least then I could fight back after you snapped me out of my funk, but in the dreams it all happens too fast. Before I know it, it's all gone and I'm left all alone."

Nigel thought back to his own dreams. They seemed to be similar with one major difference. In her dreams, Rachel wasn't the cause of all the pain and suffering. "I'm sorry Rachel. It can't be easy to deal with."

"It's not, but at least their only dreams right?"

Nigel gave a nervous laugh, "Yeah…only dreams."

"So?"

"So what?"

"I've talked, so come on soldier. Share."

"I don't know…"

"Fine that's an order from your Supreme Commander."

Nigel could tell from her tone that there was no way around this conversation. With a sigh, he settled himself into a more comfortable position. "You know about my family."

"You mean how your dad is Number Zero? Yeah of course."

"Not that part of my family."

"Oh. Your relationship with Father?" Some of the determination had left her voice; suddenly Rachel wasn't sure this was an issue she should have forced. While she, the members of Sector V, and select other operatives knew about Nigel's less than reputable family members, the relationship wasn't widely known throughout the KND. It had been decided that it would be best for the Kids Next Door not to know that one of their heroes was related to one of their greatest foes.

"Not just with Father but Grandfather too. That evil is a part of me."

"Don't be ridiculous Nigel! You're nothing like them!"

"Not now, but I can't help feeling like I could be. Like there is a part of me just waiting to come out of hiding, and takes its place on the family tree. That's what my dreams have been about. The darkness in me finally taking over, and doing things I never thought myself capable of. That's what I see when I close my eyes Rachel. The pain and suffering I could inflict on my friends, and I can't help but wonder if it's just my mind messing with me or some prediction of the future."

The two sat in silence for several minutes. Nigel thought the silence would be helpful, but now he wished she would say something. The thoughts that buzzed through his mind about what she may be thinking was not exactly pleasant. On the other hand if any of his fears were true, maybe it would be best if she didn't say anything. Just as he was about to speak up, her voice cut through the silence. It wasn't the powerful commanding voice of the Supreme Commander, but the softer voice of Rachel. The voice he had heard several times over the past few months. The voice of someone who cared about him deeply as a friend.

"I don't think I would worry too much about it Nigel. I don't believe you could ever turn your back on your friends like that. You're too good for something like that. At least that's my opinion."

Nigel couldn't help but smile a little at the pronouncement. Maybe he was just letting his mind get carried away. After all if Rachel still believed in him, then at least he had one person on his side, and he had a good idea that his other friends would probably voice similar opinions. "Thanks Rachel, and for what it's worth I don't think you are going to lose your friends any time soon. If nothing else you'll always have me to back you up."

From the shadows the two kids' captor watched in disgust. He'd moved too quickly on this part of the plan evidently. They had instantly through their support to one another. He'd hoped that this would have planted the seeds of doubt, but this part backfired. He should have known better than to put his faith into something created by that imbecile Chester. Oh well this would be a set back at the most and nothing more. He would still break them, and when they kneeled before him they would learn the true meaning of terror.

transmission interrupted

A/N: Well there we are folks hope it was worth the wait. I know not a lot of action, but there has to be some character development. I do apologize for the delay in getting this up, but it took longer to finish up than I planned. The next chapters are only rough draft at the moment, so I will update but I don't know how soon. Please be patient with me. As always any reviews, comments, and criticisms are welcome. Until next time. --DementerR


End file.
